Even  though, with his indult,  Ecclesia Dei,  John Paul II encouraged  bishops to be generous in permitting the Latin Mass, Bill Wrobleski, speaking before Latin Mass supporters in Springfield, MA on December 4,  spoke for many of us in sayin: "They are not being very generous."

After  describing  the  debate  over  how  unlawful  it  is  to suppress the Latin Mass, Wrobleski again cited the 1988 moto proprio and noted where the Bishop is petitioned by the people, the Bishop should permit the Latin Mass in his diocese.

Wrobleski noted that the Roman Rite can be traced to the time of St. Gregory the Great and his compilation of liturgical texts of the Latin West in the 6th century.  "The Roman Rite  is the oldest,   most  venerable  rite in the Catholic Church,"  he said.     "Its Latin language has not changed in 1400 years.    The Novus Ordo was promulgated in 1969 by Pope Paul VI," noted Wrobleski.    He pointed out that the English version has changes that seem to reflect local whims on a frequent basis.

Wrobleski  recalled  that one of the purposes of the Tridentine Council's codification of the Latin Rite was to combat the heresy of Protestantism. "The modern times," he said, "are characterized by relativity."    His audience recognized the role of the Latin Rite to combat the heresy of Modernism in our own time.

He noted that Latin has been the official language of the Church from the third century. "Meanings in Latin do not change," he said.   "The Latin retains the doctrinal integrity today,   just  as it has in centuries past,   and  the ancient language  is not subject to the manipulation that the present day vernacular suffers."

Wrobleski described the origins of the Mass and specific decisions during the Council of Trent.  He provided examples of reverence in the Tridentine Mass, for example the prayers at the foot of the altar.     These prayers provide the priest a special grace,   he observed. "The priest will not ascend the altar until the prayers are said, which reminds the priest how unworthy he is."

Wrobleski provided examples of how sin,   purgatory,  hell and the world are presented in  more  realistic  terms  in  the Latin  Mass.     "These  are topics  modem  man  finds unpleasant," noted Wrobleski.   He noted that our Faith addresses them realistically be restoring fear of the Lord and his just punishment for our sins, in the Latin Rite.

Wrobleski pointed out that the new Rite of Mass was drawn up by a  "panel of experts" appointed by Pope Paul VI. These same "experts" stated that   "the Roman Canon was very deficient". This same Canon has served the Church since the time of the Apostles. Longing  for a  relationship with  the transcendent,  which restores the humility in these irreverent  times,   many  lay  people  are  turning  back  to the timeless teaching of our spiritual ancestors,   and choosing the liturgy of St. Ambrose and Pope Leo VI, over the contemporary styles that seem to maintain no stability

Wrobleski researched an encyclical from Pope Paul VI,  jubilate Deo,  and found that it urged  that  the  faithful  be able to sing the Mass in Gregorian Chant.   Then  he sadly noted, "Every bishop in the world ignored him."

As an exercise, Wrobleski recommended that the layperson compare the Novus Ordo prayers to those of the traditional Latin Rite. He suggested that one will easily find that the trancendence and mystery that so many are now searching for, are firmly planted in the ancient Rite of Mass.   +
 

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